Tuesday, September 27, 2011

My "Breaking Bad" pilgrimage to Los Pollos Hermanos

I had the good fortune to visit New Mexico recently, ostensibly to taste my way through the impressive portfolio of Gruet, the state's leading winery. I wrote this column about it for Wine Review Online. (Sorry, the tasting notes and scores are behind WRO's pay wall.)

I had some time to kill on a Sunday afternoon after absolutely stuffing my face at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center: blue corn atole, blue corn pancakes with piñon butter, spicy carne adovada, wow. Go out of your way to visit if you're near Albuquerque; they do a great job of using local ingredients, traditional techniques and modern culinary touches.

Anyway, I was too full to eat more, but nonetheless I had to find a certain restaurant: the fictional Los Pollos Hermanos chicken place that, in "Breaking Bad" -- my favorite TV show -- is the center of meth druglord Gus Fring's empire.

The scene of a lot of good "Breaking Bad" scenes

"Breaking Bad" is a conundrum for Albuquerque's tourist board. The show has devotees like me who appreciate the way it uses the beauty of the New Mexico desert -- for meth cooking, grisly murders and cartel conferences. Not exactly the way to draw folks to your town.

It's not like Santa Barbara County, which proudly produces "Sideways" maps and answers questions about which scenes were shot where (even admitting that Fess Parker Winery is the vapid Frass Canyon Winery on screen.) There are no "Breaking Bad" tourism maps, and the tourist board wouldn't even tell me which fast-food restaurant doubles as Los Pollos Hermanos. Yet this is the one location on the show that fans most want to see, both because it has been used fairly often since season 2, and the action there is significant.

I was too full to eat -- but would of course have had a chicken burrito

The parking lot looks familiar, but it isn't until you get inside that you see the Los Pollos Hermanos logo. The staff didn't seem at all surprised to see somebody taking photos there. "You're not the first," the guy behind the counter told me.

Now if I can just find a good place to score some blue meth ...

By the way, a nod to my favorite TV writer, Alan Sepinwall of HitFX, who provides analysis of every episode of "Breaking Bad" as well as many other shows. To Alan and everyone else: the best pairing for "Breaking Bad" is the excellent Gruet Blanc de Noirs NV, which is less than $15. That's the really addictive drug coming out of Albuquerque.

Classic stories on sake

Legal notices

1) The material on this blog has been created by W. Blake Gray, is protected under US copyright law and cannot be used without his permission.

2) To the FTC: In the course of my work, I accept free samples, meals and other considerations. I do not trade positive reviews or coverage for money or any financial considerations, unlike certain famous print publications which have for-profit wine clubs but, because they are not classified as "bloggers," are not required by the FTC to post a notice like this.